President Putin has alleged that last week’s deadly unrest in Kazakhstan was carried out by terrorists who had received training in overseas camps, as the leader of the oil-rich central Asian state described the disturbances as a coup attempt.….
Putin’s claims came as news emerged of the deaths in rapid succession of three highly placed Kazakh security officials amid fears of a power struggle.….
Karim Masimov, the former Kazakh security service chief and ex-prime minister, was
arrested at the weekend and charged with treason amid rumours of infighting among the country’s political elite. Masimov, 56, was dismissed by Tokayev last week at the height of the unrest.
This was followed by announcements today of the deaths of three senior Kazakh security officials.
Zhanat Suleimenov, the head of police in the Jambyl region, where protesters last week clashed with security forces, committed suicide, Interfax reported.
Azamat Ibraev, a colonel with the KNB state security agency was found dead in the courtyard of his home in Nur-Sultan, the capital, after apparently falling from a window.
Tanat Nazano, a police official in Almaty, died in his office of a heart attack, Kazakh media said.
A spokesman for
Nursultan Nazarbayev, the former president who retains the title “leader of the nation”, said yesterday that he remained in the country and supported Tokayev….